1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates generally to strike detectors for use on fishing rods commonly utilized in fishing with rod and reel combinations. In particular, the present invention relates to fish strike detectors that utilize a rod clamping device to attach to a fishing rod. More specifically, the present invention relates to those fish strike detectors that clamp to a fishing rod and send a visual signal to the angler when a fish has made a strike on the bait attached to the fishing line.
2. Background
As is generally known in the sport and commercial fishing industries, anglers often hold onto their fishing rods while fishing so that they can feel when a fish strikes at the bait attached to the hook located at the end of the fishing line. Unfortunately, not all contact a fish makes with the bait is a strike. Often fish will merely "test" the bait to determine if it is of interest to the fish prior to taking it into its mouth. The intensity of the physical sensation the angler feels as a result of a fish contacting the bait lets the angler know if he or she should attempt to set the hook in the fish's mouth by flexing the rod away from the direction of the fish. After setting the hook, the angler can then reel the fish in.
In order to take advantage of the fish striking the bait, the angler must be ready to set the hook as soon as the fish makes a true strike, as opposed to merely "testing" the bait. This requires the angler to pay close attention to the movement of the fishing rod or line. One way to closely monitor fish contact with the bait is by holding on to the fishing rod so that the angler can feel when a fish makes a strike. Often, however, often the angler desires to leave the fishing rod unmanned or desires to have more than one fishing rod in the water at the same time. In these instances, the angler must typically rely on the visual movement of the fishing rod or line to let him or her know whether a fish is striking or merely testing the bait.
Relying on the visual movement of the fishing rod or line to let the angler know when a fish is striking at the bait can be difficult. If the angler has more than one line going, he or she may find it difficult to notice the small movement of the fishing rod or fishing line that can indicate a fish strike. If the angler is not positioned near the fishing rod or rods when a strike occurs, he or she can miss the movement from the strike altogether. At night or in other low light conditions, the problems with relying on the angler's visual perception is substantially compounded.
3. Related Art
A number of related art devices have attempted to overcome the problems with identifying when a fish strikes at the bait at the end of the fishing line coming from a fishing rod. These devices typically utilize mercury switches, mechanically operated switches or electronic circuit systems to determine when a fish is striking at the bait and to separate the strikes from mere testing of the bait. Although most of the related devices connect directly to the fishing rod, a few such devices connect to the reel. A majority of the related art devices are operatively connected to the fishing line so that the movement of the line will activate a signal to the angler when a fish is striking at the bait. Several devices monitor the movement of the fishing rod itself to determine when a fish is striking at the bait.
Many of the related art fish strike detectors utilize a relatively heavy enclosure that results in a weighty device at or near the end of the fishing rod, which can interfere with the angler's operation and monitoring of the fishing rod. The related art devices which utilize the movement of the fishing line tend to be overly sensitive to movement of the line or require relatively complex mechanical systems to determine when a fish strikes at the bait. The related art devices which utilize strain gages, mercury switches or electronic circuitry also tend to rely on unnecessarily complex systems to detect fish strikes. The complexity of these systems add to their weight and tend to make them overly sensitive to the physical nature of the use (i.e., casting the line, setting the hook, etc.) and transportation of fishing rods. The inability of the related art devices to withstand the inherent rigors of fishing use tends to make them unreliable as fish strike detectors.